Amazon reportedly in talks to carry live sports
Internet retailer could offer games through a premium sports package tied to Amazon Prime.
Amazon may be getting ready to step up its game slightly.
The internet retailer has spoken in recent months with representatives from the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball and the National Football League for the rights to carry live games, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. Part of the proposal has included the idea of offering the games through a premium sports package tied to its Amazon Prime program, the paper reported, citing unidentified people familiar with the matter.
Amazon representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
An exclusive sports package could go a long way toward attracting new subscribers to Amazon Prime, the $99-a-year service that already offers free two-day shipping and Netflix-style video streaming. In the past two months, the internet retailer has rolled out three free Prime perks -- Audible Channels, Prime Reading and an updated Prime Music -- that double as gateways to its monthly subscription services.
Amazon isn't alone in its quest to attract more of the nation's mammoth sports-loving demographic. Twitter already struck an agreement for National Football League streaming rights in April, beating out Amazon and Verizon.